The Essence of Motorcycling

There are a few keys to understanding the essence of motorcycling. So before you hit the road, keep these thoughts in mind:

Ride as if you’re already where you need to be. 

If you’re on the bike, you’re never in a hurry to get anywhere. It’s a great cliché but very important in this case: better late than never. Haste makes us do stupid things, so when you’re riding, you’re riding. Imagine that the destination doesn’t exist, that you’re just there to be on the road!

Take the point of view that any accident or mishap is your fault.

Yes you may legally be in the right in a collision, but there are cemeteries full of blokes who were in the right. Car pulled out on you and caused you to hit the brakes hard? Your fault for not anticipating and being ready for it. Car changed lanes and nearly took you out? Why were you in a position whereby it mattered what the car did?

Ride like you’re invisible and everybody else is drunk.

Car drivers, at least the ones who aren’t texting, fighting with their spouse on the phone, applying make-up or messing with their iPods, are looking for moving objects the size of cars and trucks. A motorcycle is a much smaller thing and might not even register with a driver. And since so many cars are wired to have their lights on all the time, even the bike’s headlight doesn’t make it stand out in traffic. Never assume that the car driver sees you. Always assume that the car driver will do something dumb. Be ready for it. Plan accordingly.